Ethiopian peasant farmers appeared to have limited knowledge of the hazards of pesticides and generally did not handle pesticides in a safe manner. Active health education campaigns and appropriate training programs should be instigated to promote safe use of pesticides.

Background: Toxoplasmosis is caused by an obligate intracellular opportunistic protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, with a worldwide distribution. T. gondii infection among pregnant women during the first trimester may transmit infection to the fetus with serious congenital consequences. No data is available on knowledge, attitude and preventive behavior towards toxoplasmosis among pregnant women in Kuwait. This cross-sectional study evaluated knowledge, attitude, and preventive behavior towards toxoplasmosis among women in Kuwait, and reviewed the situation in the Middle east.Methods: Data related to socioeconomic status, knowledge and attitude towards toxoplasmosis were collected from 326 adult female school/university students, and 86 pregnant women through a self-administered online questionnaire during 2019-2021. Participants were divided into two main groups: women with pregnancy experience (PEG) and never-pregnant group (NPG).Results: PEG (n=212) included 114 currently pregnant and 98 women with history of an earlier pregnancy. NPG included 200 subjects. All participants belonged to a medium-to-high social status and minimum high school education. Nearly 50% of PEG women had inadequate knowledge towards toxoplasma infection, and only 33 (15.6%) knew its mode of transmission compared to 35 (17.5%) in the NPG (P=0.597). A significantly higher number of women in PEG (97 of 212, 45.8%) knew it can be prevented compared to 66 of 200 (33%) in NPG (P= 0.008). Only 35 (16.5%) of PEG women knew about screening tests for toxoplasma infection, and their main source of information on toxoplasmosis was healthcare professionals and family/friends compared with NPG women who got information through newspapers/books. PEG Women exhibited enhanced preventive behavior towards toxoplasmosis. Nearly 50% of all PEG participants lacked basic knowledge towards toxoplasmosis but >90% of them avoided most high-risk activities during their pregnancy. In addition, this is the first study in the Middle east conducted through an online survey to collect relevant information related to toxoplasmosis from pregnant women. Conclusions: This study highlights inadequate knowledge and preventive behavior towards toxoplasmosis among Kuwaiti women. Thus, health education on toxoplasmosis should be offered to all adult/pregnant women to reduce congenital toxoplasmosis.

The infection withToxoplasmosisin humans, especially in people with weak immune system, pregnant women and those with underlying disease could entail serious damage. The objectives of this study are to calculate the prevalence ratio of Toxoplasma gondiiinfection in heart disease patients and assess important role of interleukin-10 in immune regulation. About 150 blood samples werecollectedfrom heart disease patients in Thi-Qar province and about 100 blood samples were collected from apparently healthy controls. Enzyme linked immunosorbantassayTest (ELISA) was used to test sera of patients and controls to detect anti-Toxoplasma Abs (IgG&IgM). While the positive samples with toxoplasmosis were tested to detect the levels of IL-10 and IL-12. The overall estimated seroprevalence was 46% in heart disease patients are higher than those in apparently healthy controls 20%, and there was a significant difference between them. The results of interleukins elucidated high levels of IL-12 82.85 pg/ml in heart disease patients infected with toxoplasmosis when compared with control 60.97 pg/ml, and there was significant difference between them. While there was no significant difference in IL-10 in both patients and controls. Also found a significant difference between female and male in patients and controls, in male was higher than those in female.The increased level of IL-12 in patients and controls with toxoplasmosis indicate to the activity of immune system in those patients.